EU court bans honey contaminated by GE crops

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that honey contaminated with pollen from a genetically engineered maize produced byMonsanto cannot be sold on the market. This means that if beekeepers keep beehives in areas where the genetically engineered crop is cultivated, they will have no hope of selling their products. The ruling will have a significant impact on the future of agricultural genetic engineering (GE) – and on beekeepers.

Some time ago, a bee in southern Germany came home with its feet sticky with pollen from the genetically engineered maize growing just 500 meters from its hive. Eventually the pollen was used in producing honey. The beekeeper noticed this contamination; and because he was a brave and honest man, he said that as long as the honey was GE contaminated, he could not sell it. He asked the owner of the field, the local government, for financial compensation for his lost earnings, but a German court asked the ECJ for advice. The ECJ said the honey is to be regarded as an unauthorised food product that contains genetically engineered ingredients.

Greenpeace believes that it has not been scientifically proven that food contaminated by genetically engineered organisms is not harmful to humans. What’s more, biodiversity and the environmental integrity of the world's food supply are far too important to be put at risk by experimenting with genetic engineering for commercial gain. However, farmers, and in this case, beekeepers must be compensated for their losses!

The ECJ’s ruling is a big win for those who do not want GE in their food, and strengthens Europe’s zero tolerance policy for GE without authorisation. But the main problem for the beekeepers is still unsolved: will they get compensation? The German court is expected to decide on the basis of the ECJ ruling.

In practice, the ECJ ruling means that no beekeeper can really go producing honey in an area where GE crops are grown. If a beekeeper has to ask for financial compensation every time his honey is contaminated, then his business will be jeopardized. The ECJ ruling clearly supports what Greenpeace has been saying for years - co-existence of genetically engineered and conventional agriculture simply does not work. GEs will sooner or later contaminate other areas of agriculture and if that happens, it means nothing less than the end to some areas of agriculture and the freedom of choice for those who want their food to be GE–free is at stake.

The ECJ ruling clearly supports what Greenpeace has been saying for years - co-existence of genetically engineered and conventional agriculture simply does not work. GEs will sooner or later contaminate other areas of agriculture and if that happens, it means nothing less than the end to some areas of agriculture and the freedom of choice for those who want their food to be GE–free is at stake.

The best thing governments can do to protect a diverse agriculture is to ban GEs from their territory. There are EU Member States that are willing to do that and have in fact already started. These are Austria, Greece, Hungary and Luxemburg. Germany has banned GM maize; Poland is rethinking its GE-legislation right now. In Italy, opposition from regional authorities makes GM cultivation impossible. On 8 September, the Court of Justice of the European Union challenged a French national ban on the cultivation of GM maize, arguing that France based its ban on the wrong legislation.Greenpeace is urging the France government to improve the legal details of its ban as soon as possible.

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(Unregistered) Quarentesept
says:

All this is to keep poor contries poor.
who is it supposed to help really,
there is so many possible things that could have been done for...

All this is to keep poor contries poor.
who is it supposed to help really,
there is so many possible things that could have been done for poorer contries more normal and benefical than modifing the food they would be eating.

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(Unregistered) Hansie A
says:

A Question I've asked Green Peace a number of times and never and I mean (never!!) get an answer:

Why do Green Peace not expose the Geo-E...

A Question I've asked Green Peace a number of times and never and I mean (never!!) get an answer:

Why do Green Peace not expose the Geo-Engineering of the planet Earth's weather by CHEM TRAILS?

I live outside the big cities (Australia) and foster my local bees and eat lots of unfiltered and unrefined local Honey. Thank God we don't have Colony Collapse -- CHEM TRAILS significantly add to this environmental tragedy !!! I've sailed the worlds oceans extensively and seen the muck in the skys world wide.

Green Peace are financed and controlled by the world Super Elite just like the Greens and every other political party --

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(Unregistered) Sulayana
says:

I am currently trying to research both the pros, and cons of genetically alltering the DNA of plants, animals, and other living creatures. In canada ...

I am currently trying to research both the pros, and cons of genetically alltering the DNA of plants, animals, and other living creatures. In canada they are researching the use of an altered E-coli bacteria as a feed suplement for pigs. This is suppose to help the animals fillter out phosporous (sorry I cant spell) This in return will on a positive note help the environment. The pigs waste has contaminated streams thus killing several million fish. With this new genetically altered bacteria in thier digestive system this will bring the pollutans down in their waste, but on a negative side more research does need to be done before this pigs are inter breed with other pigs. Becasue the levels of this bacteria are unkown with how it will effect people who consume the meat product from these pigs. Chem-trials seems to be a possible way for people in higher power to contaminate areas with these genetic modified organisums. The point is for us to become more aware of our governments, and our environments. I can be contacted my e-mail at if you want to. Thank you for your information.

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(Unregistered) Stephen
says:

I am just your normal joe blogs and i feel that democracy is becoming a long lost remnant of the 20th century. We seem to have no voice at all apart f...

I am just your normal joe blogs and i feel that democracy is becoming a long lost remnant of the 20th century. We seem to have no voice at all apart from over the internet and chat rooms. I pray that green peace, with all their powers of persuasion keep gms from spreading into europe. Although Ihave become so cynical of these large corporations that I believe monsanto with the american government will just contaminate europe by underhanded means if they have to.

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(Unregistered) basu68
says:

I love Greenpeace for a most of the great work they do, but all of the GMO criticism comes across as technophobic and unscientific. The funny thing is, the honey càn be sold but needs to be labelled and tested vigorously because of the very same fear you are spreading here.

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(Unregistered) Cynthia
says:

To basu68: Please watch the movie "The World According to Montanto" (link) http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-world-according-to-monsanto/ ...

To basu68: Please watch the movie "The World According to Montanto" (link) http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-world-according-to-monsanto/ and you may change your mind. The issue of GE foods is not limited to the environment - there are larger political and human rights issues at stake. The idea that GE technology will improve the food situation is poor countries is a lie. Lets consider the track record of a company that is responsible for creating agent orange, pcb's, bovine growth hormone ...